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Standard Bank's Foreign Exchange team comprises innovative and experienced staff with a broad skill set catering to a diversified international and domestic client base. We provide our clients with a full suite of products which include both standardised and customised solutions to meet all our client needs.

Cross-border transactions are subject to foreign exchange regulations and exposure to the risks of fluctuating currencies. Standard Bank's representation and experience in emerging markets, and our presence in all major financial centres, enables us to deliver a 24-hour foreign exchange service which is sensitive to regulatory and risk factors in emerging markets globally.

This is who we are:

Standard Bank is a leading market maker in the South African Rand (ZAR). We also trade all major currencies as well as numerous African and other emerging markets currencies.

We ensure that our clients always have access to our expertise and market knowledge, and to our customer-focused dedicationthrough electronic, telephonic and personal interaction.

Our commitment to pricing and liquidity is evident through our large client base as well as our market share as a leading flow house in Africa .

Dedicated Global Markets Sales Managers provide a single point of entry into Standard Bank's Global Market's services, competencies and expertise.

We have on-the-ground experts in 30 dealing rooms across the globe, providing specialist knowledge of their local markets.

We provide a suite of electronic forex trading solutions that enable online dealing. Click here to read more about our offering

Our foreign exchange-related products and services include:

Trading capabilities in all major currencies, including G10, numerous African currencies as well as many other emerging market currencies

Trading in Renminbi (RMB), the official currency of the People's Republic of China . Clients involved in cross-border trade with China can denominate their transactions with China in RMB, reducing risk for the importer/exporter and thereby potentially improving the competitiveness and stability of pricing

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Create your payments on the international banking system and execute your foreign exchange transactions seamlessly and securely on one system.

The integration of FX Trading into International Banking is another way we are making your foreign exchange experience simple and efficient.

IBFX helps to make the foreign payment process more manageable with an easy to use, simple platform. The platform allows you to conveniently initiate and track payments anywhere, anytime. You are able to secure spot rates instantly and guard against exchange rate volatility.

IBFX combines the benefits of International Banking and FX Trading:

Easy set up

Seamless processing of international cash requirements

Competitive rate

Secure platform that enables segregation of duties and individual limits

Our FX e-Channel offering includes functionality encompassing all aspects of the foreign exchange cycle where an electronic interface is used.

Benefits of FX e-Channels

While the benefits associated with using FX e-Channels are, to a degree, dependent on the nature of your business, there are broad benefits to be gained by all participants in the foreign exchange market:

Real-time dealing and execution

Streaming of rates

Deal management

Indicative rates

Trading from any internet-based computer

Archive search and record of historical and related deals

Limit orders, including stops, linked and profit-take

Price transparency and consistency

Online confirmation

Our FX e-Channel offering allows your entire transaction process to be presented in a clear and concise manner that fully empowers you to make informed decisions on the relevant transactions. By transacting electronically, a clear audit trail is established. This audit trail is immediately available through the particular FX e-Channel offering making it very easy for the client to review past transactions, pricing and associated details.

Product offerings

Wholesale

We provide two wholesale product offerings, eMarketTrader and FX Trading, packaged to suit the needs of your business.

Best FX Provider in Botswana , 2012

Best FX Provider in Zambia , 2012

As the largest banking group in Africa, Standard Bank provides a centralised solution for payment clearing and trade settlements in RMB. Our relationship with Asia, and with China in particular, is underscored by our close ties with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, which holds a 20% stake in the Standard Bank Group.

What is Renminbi

The Renminbi (RMB) is the official currency of the People's Republic of China. It is commonly known as the Yuan (CNY - the base unit of the RMB) and means "people's currency" in Mandarin.RMB in Focus

Benefits of trading in RMB

For South African companies:

Better negotiation opportunities with suppliers from China

Improved business relationships with counter parties through price transparency and avoiding the use of an "intermediary" currency (such as USD) in the pricing process

Prepayments (advance payments) can be made to incentivise discounts from your supplier

South African operators of Chinese parent companies can repatriate RMB funds to an offshore Standard Bank service provider in Hong Kong, for use in other offshore investments or payments

For Chinese counterparts:

Faster tax rebates - as a "Renminbi Settlement Status" holder, Chinese exporters qualify for automatic tax refunds or exemptions on qualifying exports products at the moment of invoicing, providing a faster rebate than when any other currency is used

China is now Africa's single biggest trading partner and trade volumes continue to grow. Now that RMB is accepted as a currency of global trade, Standard Bank Group is well positioned to facilitate settlement of the currency.

Standard Bank's RMB product suite

In South Africa, we offer the following capabilities to support RMB payments and settlements:

Transactional products and services:

Customer foreign currency accounts (CFC) denominated in RMB for clients to settle RMB proceeds from import and export trades with enterprises in China

Across Africa, we provide CNY accounts and services for clients in most of the 19 countries in which we have a presence.

Standard Bank's skilled foreign exchange team is on hand to help our clients negotiate all aspects of RMB settlements.

Forex Relationship desk

About us

The Forex Relationship Centre (FRC) is an advisory team managed by a group of qualified foreign exchange specialists mandated to provide you, the client, with complete service and support on any and all foreign exchange matters.

As an FRC client, you can expect more than just an exchange rate. We offer a wide range of products and services that are aimed to enhance your forex dealing experience

Our philosophy has you, the client, at the centre and a full array of offerings and support to ensure you are well supported through your currency dealing

We aim to provide clients with an exceptional personal service with a strong focus on education. The team endeavors to keep clients informed of the latest developments and best practices in the foreign exchange market place with economic research and the latest market rates disseminated to clients. We also understand that true relationships are built on support; we initiate this support by availing yourselves to finding solutions to your FX problems or queries.

As a value add, the Forex Relationship Centre is dedicated to educating our clients about the foreign exchange market, possible risk mitigation strategies, online forex dealing solutions as well as online cash management systems. For further discussion, the forex sales team is available and always happy to assist.

The foreign exchange market

The foreign exchange market
Read about the background, uses and matters influencing the market pricing of one currency against another.

Exchange rate risk mitigation

Derivatives are contracts between two or more parties where the parties agree to the price of a transaction now that will take place at some time in the future. "Derivative" means that the value of the financial instrument is based on, or derives from the value of what is going to be bought or sold at a future date. Derivatives are used for "hedging" – reducing or removing price risk associated with a particular transaction at a future date or for "trading" (speculation) and arbitrage purposes. Basically, there are two types of derivatives – forwards – fixed rate or price (e.g. FEC's), and options.

Currency options
Read about currency options contracts and their pricing dynamics as well as some practical applications of currency options that importers and exporters can utilize.

Currency futures
A currency futures contract is an agreement allowing market participants to buy (long) or sell (short) one currency for another at a specified price and date in the future. The underlying instrument of a currency futures contract is the exchange rate between one unit of foreign currency - USD, GBP, AUD or euro - and the South African rand.

Options on Currency Futures
Options on Currency Futures grant the purchaser the right, but not the obligation, to trade a currency futures contract at a predetermined date and at a prearranged price. Participates are able to buy or sell these contracts.

Customer Foreign Currency Accounts (CFC)Read about the advantages of managing foreign currency receipts (export proceeds) and payments (import settlements) as well as settlement of services relating to the movement of goods.